98-XP problem

Hi
I've got a problem with my network and I have checked other posts in this forum for similar problems but none of them seem to help.
Anyway, here's the thing: I've got two computers, one has XP on it, the other one 98. They both use the same kind of network card: both a Realtek RTL8193, probably the most basic network card there is. They both are part of the workgroup Mallet studios (don't ask ¬_¬). The IP of the XP is 10.0.0.1 and of the 98 is 10.0.0.2. They both have subnetmask 255.255.255.0, so basically, i have all things that a network requires, yet on the XP it says that the networkcable is unplugged and the 98 only recognises it self as part of the network. I have checked the cable, but i don't think that's it, since it worked fine when the xp was still a 98 and according to the laws of logic (ok, so this is windows we're talking about, still...) it should still work after the upgrade.
Does anyone know a sollution for my problem? thanx!

Is the "Link" light on the back of the NIC lit? If so, try updating your NIC drivers on the XP machine. If the link light is not lit on the back of the NIC, try a different cable. If it still doesn't work, get a new NIC

The light on the XP box isn't burning, but the light on 98 box is, so it's prolbably the NIC, not the cable...
Buy a new NIC huh? That's gonna be a problem, since all my money is currently on the bank, with the €uro comming an all...

It does say patch cable on the cable, but I got it with a set of two networkcards (the Sitecom Multi Player Gamers Networking Kit). Is XP incompatible with patch cables or something? It worked fine when win98 was installed on both of them

Okay. We know you have the right cable (A crossover) becuase 1) it came with your network-in-a-box kit and 2) it worked before. That's out.
Next, you know 98 is fine thus far, so ignore that box altogether.
You pointed it out almost immediately, and you need look no further. You do not have activity on the status lights on the NIC in your XP box. That means that you do not have a network connection set up (which I know you do since you said you've assigned an IP) OR XP does not have the right driver for the card installed, XP does not recognize the card, or the card came unseated while setting something up.
Check your Device Manager to see that the NIC is there and the driver is updated. Next, check the cable is in tight, and if that doesn't work, try unplugging both ends of your cable and reversing it. If you still do not see any network activity, open up your case, remove the network card and drop it back in to make sure it's seated tightly. If you're still not working, come back here and say what you did so far, and we can go from there.
/L.A

I don't have a hub, but the connection between the two computers are two cables connected to each other (i checked those connections too), since it was to short. the cable goes through the ceiling, so switching them is gonna be a problem.
In the device manager, the drivers of the NIC were up to date, but there was a questionmark with an exclamation mark next to PCI Simple Communications-controller, meaning there are no drivers installed for it. Methinks this has something to do with the problem (the NIC being a PCI-device and all)